Razor blade sharpener



Dec. 22, 193.6. E A, JOHNSTON 2,064,836

RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed Dec. 8, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 22, 1936. E A JOHNSTON 2,064,836

RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed Dec. 8, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f l 9/ ZZ I v zo @252 A+ 420 55M 57 jzg Patented Dec. 22, 1936 UNITED stares PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

Ihe present invention relates to devices for .restoring and maintaining the cutting edges of 'razor blades of the double edge type.

The main object of the invention is to provide .5 ra device containing mechanism for honing and then stropping both edges of a r'azor blade inserted into the device, without necessitating removal and re-insertion of the blade between the successive operations of honing and stropping. Another object is to provide a device for either, or both, stropping and honing a blade as governed by selective positions of the blade within the device. Still another object is to provide mechanism of the character stated which is simple, compactly arranged and capable of enclosure in a casing that can be conveniently held in a users hand during manual operation thereof.

Ihe foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages which will become evident from the detailed description to follow, are accomplished by .providing a plurality of axially shiftable rolls arranged in axially aligned sets, one set constituting honing rolls and the other stropping rolls, and by providing an oscillating blade carrier between the 5 rolls so mounted as to allow shift of the carrier parallel to the axes of the rolls to move the blade from one set of rolls to the other.

One preferred construction embodying the invention is hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where,

Figure 1 is a top view of the device with the `casing in section to expose the contained mechanism, the blade carrier being shown in its intermediate, or half withdrawn, position.

Figure 2 is a similar side View of the device.

lFigure 3 is a similar bottom view with the driving mechanism seen in Figures 1 and 2 broken away.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken between the opposite pairs of rolls in each set and showing the blade carrier in fully inserted position.

Figure 5 is an end View of the device from the left hand side of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a cross section on line 6-3 of Figure 4.

Figure '7 is an enlarged detail view of the slowmotion gear and cam mechanism for oscillating Ythe blade carrier, as viewed on line l--l of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a cross section on line 8 8 of Figyure 2 showing the driving gears.

:Figures 9 and 10 are enlarged detail views of a portion of one pair of rolls, showing inter- 55 vengaging ribs thereon as a modification, and

Figures 11 and 12 are plan and side views, respectively, of the slidable blade carrier.

In the particular embodiment of the invention here disclosed, there is provided an elongated cover or casing closed at the` ends by plates 5 2i and 22 respectively. A third plate 23, spaced inwardly from end plate 22, as shown by Figures l, 2, and 4, is provided to support parts of the operating mechanism to be described. Suitable tie rods carrying spacing sleeves 24 and 25 serve `10 to hold the three plates referred to and the mechaznsm carried thereby in properly spaced and assembled relation.

The plates 2l and 23 are formed with aligned bearing openings for the ends of parallel shafts 15 23, 25e and 2l, 21a, arranged in pairs on opposite lateral halves of the said plates. The shafts are rotatably and slidably mounted in the bearing openings and each shaft has fixed to it a roll 28 and a roll 29. The two rolls on each shaft are 20 of different nature and there are, accordingly, provided four rolls 29 which may be composed of or surfaced with suitable abrasive material to constitute sharpening or honing rolls, and four rolls 28 surfaced or composed of leather or suitable fibrous material and constituting stropping rolls. The lateral disposition of the roll-carrying shafts in pairs leaves a longitudinal central space, of shafts are in rolling contact with each other. As a modification, the rolls may be ribbed with o as seen in Figure l, and the rolls on each pair the ribs on one roll engaging the grooves in the other, as shown by Figures 9 and 10, thereby providing intermeshing rolls which must move together axially. One roll shaft of each pair, as shaft 26 of one pair and shaft 2la of the other, has its end beyond plate 23 provided with an elongated drive pinion 3l! in mesh with a comparatively large drive gear 3| secured on a short crank shaft 32 journaled in plates 22 and 23 and havng a crank handle 33 connected to its projecting end. Also secured to shaft 32 adjacent the gear 3l is a diagonal disk cam or swash plate 313 on which the ends of pinions bear and against which they are yieldably held by the action of leaf springs 35 located between the opposite end plate 2l of the casing and the sides of intermeshing gears 36 fixed to each pair of roll shafts at one end of the rolls 28. The roll shafts are accordingly urged towards the cam disk 33 and are interconnected or geared together in pairs for both axial and rotary movements. It will be understood from the structure so far described that rotation of the crankshaft 32 in the usualclock-wise direction will cause rotation v.scale in Fig. 7.

of the rolls on each pair of shafts in opposite directions, due to the intermeshing gears 35, and that the cam disk St will simultaneously cause axial reciprocation of each pair of roll shafts alternately, the shafts of each pair moving axially in unison by reason of the contacting and intergeared relation of the rolls. It will also be understood that the four rolls 28 constitute a set of rolls disposed as opposite sp-aced pairs and that rolls 29 constitute a second similar set. With proper rotation of the crankshaft 32 the contacting surfaces of the rolls will turn inwardly or towards the center of the casing.

In order to subject a blade to the action of the respective sets of rolls, the lower portion of the plates 2i and 23 are formed with bearing openings for the end trunnions 3l (Fig. 4) of a rockable, channelled, guide plate 38. This guide plate is normally held in level position with respect to a separate end piece il by a flat spring 3E) (Fig. 3) secured to its under side and formed with laterally spaced arms l5 engaging the opposite ends of the piece di which lies next to plate '23 and is formed with a bearing through which the trunnion 3l extends.

As best shown by Figure 6, the channel of the guide plate 58 is adapted to slidably receive the blade carrier shown in Figures 11 and 12 comrising an elongated plate or slide 42 having a central vertical flange 43 carrying an arcuate head flange lll which is located substantially on the same level with the contacting surfaces of the rolls. The flange 43 has spaced vertical slots to receive upright pins i5 which project above the head flange lli through transverse slots i6 therein. The pins i5 are yieldably held in upright position by leaf springs il on the opposite faces of flange 43 and these pins are designed to t in the central openings of and loosely retain a standard double edge wafer blade (i8, in the manner shown by Figures 4 and 6.

The underside of the slide plate 42 is provided with longitudinally spaced rounded notches 69 and Eil adapted to be engaged with a spring pressed latch ball 5l held in an opening in the guide plate 38. These notches are located to be releasably engaged by ball .5l when the blade carrier is fully inserted, as in Figure 4, and when half inserted as in Figures l and 2. Preferably,

a stop pin fila, received in a longitudinal groove in slide l2 and terminating short of the end thereof, is provided to prevent complete withdrawal of the slide plate, as it is only necessary to expose the pins .5 in order to remove or place a bladeon the carrier. A projecting finger piece 52 on` slide platey [s2 is provided for sliding the blade carrier in and out.

The location of guide plate 33 and the blade carrier it supports, is in the space between the opposite pairs of rolls, as best shown by Fig. 6, and as it is necessary to present the opposite edges of a blade alternately to the rolls, the rockable guide plate 38 is given a slow rocking movement by the mechanism shown on an enlarged The end piece il of guide plate til carries a perpendicular member 53 having opposite abutments on studs 54. The member 53 faces a ratchet gear 55 that has its stub shaft 55 journaled in plate 23. An arcuate cam v57 is secured to gear 55 and located between the abutments 5t. The ratchet gear 55 is slowly rotated by means of two diametrically disposed drive pins 55 on the end of crank-shaft 32 'which engage the gear teeth successively. The

relation of parts is such that the guide plate 38 and its blade carrier will be osoillated from side to side at approximately each half revolution of gear 55 and cam 5l, and as the movement of gear 55 is slow the blade edges will alternately be held in contact with the rolls for a co-nsiderable time. A generally T-shaped aperture 58 (Fig. 5) is provided in end plate 2l, conforming to the shape of the blade carrier and blade, to permit in and out movement thereof, and this aperture is suitably ared to provide for rocking movement. Flared slots 59 are provided in plates l2 and 23 for receiving the inner end of slide plate 42 when the blade carrier is fully inserted as in Fig. 4.

In making use of the honer and Sharpener described, the slide plate is first fully drawn out to expose the pins i5 and the blade is placed on flange dit with its openings engaging the projecting ends of the pins. The slide is then fully inserted, as in Fig. 4, where it is releasably retained by engagement of pin 5l with notch 49. This brings the blade to position between the set of honing rolls 29. Shaft 32 is then rotated in a clock-wise direction to rotate and reciprocate the rolls and periodically oscillate the blade carrier, thereby introducing the edges of the blade, alternately, to the opposite pairs of rolls of that set along the line of contact therebetween, in the manner shown by Fig. 6. After sufficient honing, the slide is withdrawn to its intermediate i position where pin 5l engages notch 50, bringing the blade to position between the set of stropping rolls 2B, as in Fig. 1, where further rotation of shaft 32, preferably in a contra-clockwise direction, elfects stropping of the blade. Complete withdrawal of the slide allows the resharp.- ened blade to be removed. Due to the fact that guide plate 5B is yieldingly held by spring 39, a slight tortional effort applied to finger piece 52 will serve to level the blade carrier and allow it to clear the aperture 58 for in or out movement whenever desired.

The invention residing in the novel structure and combination of parts above described is obviously capable of modified embodiments without departure from the scope thereof as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A Sharpener for double edge blades comprising spaced, oppositely disposed, pairs of sharpening rolls, the rolls of each pair being in contact on a line parallel to and in the same plane as the other pair, a blade carrier positioned between the pairs of rolls adjacent their contact plane and rockable on an axis parallel to the axes of the rolls and offset from the plane of contact therebetween, means on said carrier for supporting a double edge blade in position to engage its edges with the respective pairs of rolls adjacent the line of contact therebetween, and means for rotating the rolls and simultaneously rocking the carrier to bring the opposite edges of a blade carried thereby to the opposite pairs of rolls alternately.

2. A Sharpener for double edge blades comprising two sets of spaced, oppositely disposed, pairs of rolls with one pair of rolls in each set disposed in axial alignment with one pair of the other set and the rolls of each pair being in contact in a common plane, the rolls of each set being surfaced with differing materials, a guide plate rockably mounted between the opposite pairs of rolls on an axis parallel with the axes of the rolls and removed from said plane of contact, a blade carrier slidable alo-ng the guide plate and rockable therewithv having means for supporting a double edge blade adjacent the plane of contact between the rolls and in position to bring its opposite edges into engagement with the pairs of rolls adjacent the line of Contact therebetween, means for retaining the slidable carrier with its blade supporting means between the rolls of either set selectively, and means for rotating the rolls and simultaneously rocking the guide plate.

EDWARD A. JOHNSTON. 

